Chiaki Sato releases theme song for animated film ‘Ghost Cat Anzu’
Japanese musician Chiaki Sato, also known as the singer in the band Kinoko Teikoku, has released a new single titled “Matatabi.” The song is the theme song for the animated film “Ghost Cat Anzu.”
This easygoing song has a relaxed tempo and warm guitar sound that will melt your heart. The lyrics are filled with nostalgic phrases that evoke wistful images of summertime in Japan, such as ambling on local streets, the sound of a matsuri festival, and drinking lukewarm ramune soda in the sun.
The animated film “Ghost Cat Anzu” has attracted the attention of film buffs around the world, selected for the prestigious Directors’ Fortnight at the 77th Cannes International Film Festival and the Feature Film competition category at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2024.
A lyric video for “Matatabi” is also out now. Made with footage from the film, the lyric video beautifully reflects the themes of the words, inviting viewers to immerse themselves ever deeper into the world of both the song and the film.
Singer-songwriter Chiaki Sato moved to Tokyo from Iwate Prefecture as a high-school student to pursue her music career and formed the band Kinoko Teikoku with her university classmates. Sato was the band’s vocalist, guitarist, and lyricist until they announced a hiatus on May 27, 2019, leading her to perform as a solo artist.
With a gradual shift in her sound toward music with electronic beats, Sato creates a soundscape that is all her own.
On June 28, she released her third album, “BUTTERFLY EFFECT.” She was selected as one of the monthly artists for TikTok and Spotify’s joint Buzz Tracker program, while the album’s 11 songs included ‘Yoru wo Loop’, which reached No.1 on the TikTok chart, and ‘Time Machine’, which includes a sample of the intro from Utada Hikaru’s iconic hit ‘Automatic’. Meanwhile, the song ‘Senkou Hanabi feat. Ikuta Lilas’ featured guest vocals from YOASOBI singer Lilas Ikuta, ranking highly on multiple charts.
Sato’s diverse musical activities include providing vocals for commercials and for songs by Ryohu, Haruno, and KERENMI, as well as producing songs for artists such as Kamenashi Kazuya, Da-iCE, SCANDAL, Nana Mori, and Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku. A collaboration video in which Sato joined forces with Peace comedian Naoki Matayoshi to co-write the song ‘Nichijou Mitaina’ blew up when it was released on YouTube.
Sato’s music is popular not only among music fans but also among her fellow musicians, actors, and other celebrities and creative types in Japan. This is thanks to her melodies that incorporate a variety of music genres while always being pop songs, her choice of lyrics, and her singing voice that gracefully expresses the subtleties of the heart.
